1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a compact, energy efficient blower that includes a pair of folded fin heat exchanger cores located at opposite sides of a conventional Peltier thermoelectric device so that a small area (e.g. a workstation or the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle or airplane) can be effectively heated or cooled by simply adjusting the DC power supply to which the Peltier device is connected.
2. Background Art
With energy conservation on the minds of consumers and government officials alike, efforts have been made to efficiently heat and cool a relative small space, whether it be a workstation, a bedroom, a passenger compartment in a motor vehicle or airplane, etc. To maximize the efficiency of conventional heaters and coolers, heat exchangers have sometimes been used in combination with a fan or blower. However, such heater/cooler combinations have typically required many parts which increases both the manufacturing and assembly (i.e. labor) costs.
In addition, a relatively long linear air flow path which extends between the air intake and output ends is common in the usual heat exchanger. Because this linear air flow path has the intake and output ends lying opposite one another, it has been difficult to increase the heat conductive surface area of the heat exchanger without also significantly increasing the size, material consumption and manufacturing costs. What is even more, heat exchangers having the aforementioned linear flow path are known to experience a relatively high head pressure at the intake end and a pressure drop between the opposing intake and output ends. To overcome these pressure concerns and maintain a sufficient volume of air flowing through the heat exchanger, an air delivery system containing air transport conduits is often employed to carry high pressure air from the fan or blower to the intake end of the heat exchanger. Such an air delivery system typically consumes space and further increases costs and, in some cases, is known to raise the head pressure at the air intake end which may adversely affect the flow rate.
Examples of air moving systems that are controlled by a Peltier thermoelectric device are available by referring to one or more of the following United States patents:
In general terms, a compact, energy efficient blower is disclosed that is controlled by means of a conventional Peltier thermoelectric device. The Peltier device is sandwiched between a pair of folded fin heat exchanger cores and the sandwich is surrounded by a plastic enclosure comprising top and bottom shells. A pair of electrical conductors extends from the Peltier device through the plastic enclosure to be connected to opposite terminals of a DC voltage source by which to power the Peltier device. A lower one of the pair of heat exchanger cores is received within the bottom shell of the enclosure, and the upper one of the heat exchanger cores is received within the top shell. The top and bottom shells are connected one above the other and a (e.g. muffin) fan is secured to the top shell as to lie above the upper heat exchanger core. The top shell of the blower enclosure includes a central air duct and outer air channels. The central air duct of the top shell is axially aligned with the fan and the upper heat exchanger core so that a first portion of fan air can be pumped through a first air flow path that is established by the upper core. The outer air channels of the top shell are aligned with the fan and the lower heat exchanger core so that the rest of the fan air can be pumped through a second air flow path that is established by the lower core.
The upper and lower heat exchanger cores are substantially identical to one another and include a plurality of heat conductive fins that are aligned side-by-side one another. Each heat conductive fin of the plurality of fins is folded to maximize the surface area thereof. Each heat exchanger core includes an open top, a closed bottom and open opposite sides. A plurality of the folded heat conductive fins extends laterally between the open opposite sides of each of the upper and lower heat exchanger cores.
In the assembled blower configuration, the upper and lower folded fin heat exchanger cores which lie at opposite sides of the Peltier thermoelectric device are turned upside down relative to one another. In other words, the open top of the upper heat exchanger core faces upwardly towards the fan at the top of the blower, while the open top of the lower heat exchanger core faces downwardly towards a vent formed in the bottom shell. Moreover, the plurality of folded heat conductive fins of the upper heat exchanger core are arranged in perpendicular alignment with the folded heat conductive fins of the lower heat exchanger core. The first portion of air is pumped by the fan through the first air flow path established by the upper folded heat exchanger core by way of the central air duct in the top shell of the blower enclosure, whereby the waste energy that is emitted by the Peltier thermoelectric device and collected by the upper heat exchanger core is exhausted to the atmosphere via the open opposite sides of the upper heat exchanger core and a pair of windows formed in opposite ends of the top shell. The remaining portion of the air is pumped by the fan through the second air flow path established by the lower heat exchanger core by way of the outer air channels in the top shell of the blower enclosure, whereby the useful work producing energy that is emitted by the Peltier device and collected by the lower heat exchanger core is exhausted from the blower via the open top of the lower heat exchanger core and the vent formed in the bottom shell. The useful energy (e.g. either hot or cold air) produced by the blower can be delivered directly to a user (in the form of a personal air conditioner/heater) or supplied to a workstation or to the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle or airplane. Because the upper and lower heat exchanger cores are turned upside down at opposite sides of the Peltier device, the waste air and useful air are exhausted from the blower in directions that are perpendicular to one another.